Weekends are trouble

greghert

I'm doing ok in the week when I can make choices myself and do extra exercise in the lunch hour (even if it's just a walk) but come the weekend and I put half of it back on again... So my weight loss looks like a set of stairs .Anyone have a have a way getting over the weekend ?

ChantalGG

Stop doing what you area doing on the weekends...

DeBlue

If that doesn't work try focusing on adding some positive activities & food choices instead of kicking yourself. You'll be better able to keep it up when you feel good about how you are turning it around!

sdgirl22

The weekends are my biggest problem right now, because I let myself drink, and then I let myself get fast food, and then the next day I've already killed the diet so I skip breakfast, then.... yeah, it's a horrible domino effect. As much as it sucks, just plan out your workouts and diet the same way that you plan your week, then try to stick with it.

Busybusybee

I know what you mean! You could try saving a few hundred calories during the week and using those at weekends. You can see a weekly view of your calories to know how you're doing.

Myfitnesspal will warn you that you're under your daily allowance on the days you go lower, but if it's not an extreme amount you should be ok, especially if some is added on for exercise.

Also, try to plan for the weekends - work out what you're likely to be doing, plan in some more exercise and strategies for what you will eat/drink.

WWhitaker

I recently wrote about the same troubles. It's all in taking baby steps. If you're stuck eating fast food, as hard as it may be, try to find the healthiest option available. If you really feel you must have something bad for you or outside your caloric needs, have it. Just don't feel bad and hop back in the game the following day. I'm going to start bringing food with me while I'm on the go. Get a mini cooler and make your foods as if you would during the week. Best of luck!

Amgoding

I struggle with the weekends as well for the same reasons. My family doesn't need to lose weight and want to relax on the weekend. We also tend to have a few drinks. I need to resist the temptation!

bjclaywell

Weekends are hard for me too. I try to mimic my weekday eating as much as possible (ie - start with yogurt - if I don't start with yogurt, I'm out for the day...guaranteed) - carry around liter bottles of water everywhere I go, and I try to take fruit and veggie snacks with me. I'm always toting around my kid to different things, and there's always horrible snacks everywhere I go, so I just keep a little cooler in the car and try to take healthier snacks with me. It doesn't always work that way for me...but I try.

Also, I can't see your diary, but if eating out is part of your problem (which it tends to be for me on the weekends), then try to plan your meal ahead - make sure you look online and see what you can order that is healthy. Most fast food restaurants have decent choices...it's just about choosing the right stuff.

Good luck!!!

Terri_74

Hi, I always had the same trouble. I've started to change my way of thinking though. Weekends were always my treat as I saw it as 'I'm working throughout the week and therefore I can relax a little over the weekends'. This just ruined all the good work I had put in through the week. I now see it as a continuation of the week, I try to plan weekends with different foods (maybe treat foods but work it within my calories) whereas over the week I just try to eat as healthy as poss. Weekend nights out used to be pints of lager but that has changed to vodkas and diet cokes.. not sure if this helps but its how I get through the week :-)

MyJourney11

What I do to try and control my weekend is have a family day on sunday. It keeps us out at the zoo or aquarium or whatever. Then we have a picnic so I plan the meal. Saturday I eat whatever but I make sure I exercise. (To be straight with you, it dousen't always work out this way. I have my bad days too )

Dancinblind

Answer this... what is your motivation to loose weight? Be honest with yourself.

Is the motivation to loose the weight stronger then the will power you have on the weekend? It's not easy, loosing weight never is. It doesn't start with a simple pill, drink, low calorie meal in a box. It starts from within.... that desire to succeed and win the battle. When your desire to overcome the obstacle becomes stronger then the desire to have that piece of cake, skip out on the excercise on the weekend, go out drinking with friends, pull in for fast food, or other wise unhealthy activity you have succeeded for the time being. And each time you pull that desire and motivation from the depths of your soul to keep you in check, it gets easier.

I say this cause I know. Last month I would have happily got up from my desk and grabbed a couple of my favorite cookies from Jason's Deli when we have our office luncheon for month end close (I'm an accountant) Today.... well, it's month end close. And right now I have 4 dozen cookies less then 10 feet behind me. Calling my name, but you know what? I have to pull that motivation and desire from the depths of my soul to fit in a wedding dress I purposely bought a size smaller. Sure, I could say I can just work out extra hard to compensate for the cookies, but realistically I know it's about making the right choices and being stronger in the face of adversity. I ate fresh fruit instead.... sure, I still want those cookies, but I want my wedding dress more!

Take it one weekend, one day at a time. Face your obstacle head on and focus on the end goal and your motivation to succeed. Don't beat yourself up for your mistakes, but use those mistakes on the weekend to draw strength from. Know what you want... and fight for it!!!

greghert

At the weekends it's rush rush rush! With entertaining, cooking, more than a few beers and crisp (oh how I would kill for a packet of Doritos). I don't get the chance to exercise either, as suddenly, everything needs to be done now. I have stopped cooking and tasting everything, and have managed to go for fruit instead of haribo. Thanks for the idea of pooling point and thanks to everyone who has let me know I'm not the only one.

ItsLessOfMe

Weekends kill me. But first I realize this is a lifelong journey not just a GOAL weight. Next, I make the best choices I can. For me we have family functions on the weekend. I try to just maintain and not gain anything. This weekend I piled up on salads and veggies and ate a little bit of the rest. They actually had 9 desserts at one event. PLUS the food. Anyway I did better then maintain I lost 1.2 lbs and that was over a 3 day weekend. So excited. But you have to have the the mindset,

zenchild

Watch your sodium during the weekend. That's what gets me. For weeks I couldn't figure out why I weighed more on Monday than on Friday, Saturday or Sunday (I weight daily to keep motivated). I'm reasonably good on my calories and I've been flooring my house on weekends so I know I'm getting my exercise. The weight comes back off by Tuesday or Wednesday (when I've been sipping water or tea all day at work).
I'm not about to tell someone not to eat out during the weekends, but try drinking more water. Staying well hydrated will help flush the excess sodium out of your system.

Busybusybee

Ok - so let's share strategies for this weekend. And then compare notes early next week. They say if you write something down, it will happen (especially with the thought that we can motivate each other).

So, my challenge this weekend is that I'm going out to watch a rugby match with friends, preceded by what is likely to be a lunch where alcohol features quite prominently.

I will, though:

- Get some hard exercise first - maybe go to the gym, or take the dog for a run rather than walk
- have a slow-release breakfast (complex carbs and protein) so I'm not ravenous at lunchtime
- take my iPhone with me so I can check into the phone app while I'm out (logging as I go really helps)
- Try hard to exercise self-control. That's probably easier said than done, but try to concentrate on the other aspects of the day that aren't to do with high-calorie food and drink.

Jenlynphi

Get outside and get active! I love to eat more on the weekends but I try to even it out with exercise. My 6:30 bootcamp class is worth it every Saturday morning because I know I will be able to enjoy a luch or dinner out with friends.

buryherdead

I can relate! Weekends are also my biggest issue because every few weekends I'll decide to drink but then "its been a few weeks" .. so 2 bottles of wine later I've had a major caloric intake on top of the food I've eaten.. and drinking makes my body bloat up like a blimp so I'm in agony for 2 days dealing with that.. only to turn around in another 2 weeks and do it again.. ugh sabotage!

The weekends are my biggest problem right now, because I let myself drink, and then I let myself get fast food, and then the next day I've already killed the diet so I skip breakfast, then.... yeah, it's a horrible domino effect. As much as it sucks, just plan out your workouts and diet the same way that you plan your week, then try to stick with it.

vlabraque

I find weekends hard also. The structure of my work week helps keep me on track. I lose that when I'm off. Also I am tired after working and exercising all week. I give myself permission to be a bum. Then I don'thave anything planned. That is always dangerous.